No Looking Back
by DMReturns
Summary: A man returns to the place that rejected him. Will his influence save it from destruction or bring it down from the inside out?
1. A Kiss To Build a Dream On

The green foothills of Luna Mountain were the perfect spot for a graveyard. Modest, somber plains, near a tall, everlasting peak.

The perfect place to forget the dead.

A young man, dressed in a leather jacket and blue jeans was the only live human in the literal valley of death.

"My boy, it's time you learned to stand up for yourself. We won't always be here to protect you."

Those words, spoken by a familiar face, had given him confidence.

Who knew they'd be true so soon?

Three stone graves were the man's focus. They were barely legible, simply markers meant to act as an acknowledgement of their existence to world.

He didn't have to read the epitaph to know what it said. Those words, spoken by no one, had taken it all away.

His name was Jack, and he had finally stopped running away.

* * *

10 Years Earlier

July 4th

Fireworks of all colors exploded in the night sky. Jack and a young girl sat together, admiring the colorful bombs.

"They're so pretty!"

The girl pointed at the lights as if each one was the first she'd ever seen. Jack simply smiled, taking in the night sky. When a pause in the show came, the girl turned to him.

"One day, you'll come back here, right?"

Silence.

"You'll come back, and we'll get married. Right?"

Silence.

She tugged his shirt. "At least promise me you'll come back. Please."

Finally, he nodded and spoke. "I promise." The girl hugged him tightly, as the final volley lit up the sky.

* * *

The promise Jack made had long since been broken. His reasoning for returning to Flowerbud was simply because he had no place else to go. Jack's life had been burned to the ground, but like a phoenix, he had risen from the ashes. Now the only thing he had was the deed to his Grandfather's farm. The young man walked down a dusty road, and its familiarity scared him. Had he really taken this path so many years ago? When he reached the end of the way, he ran his hand along the rickety wooden fence. Ahead of him was a field full of weeds, stones and trees. Behind the field, an old cabin seemed to beckon to him. He crossed the field and stepped up to the porch. The wild provided the only sounds that could be heard. A deep breath passed through Jack's lungs as he opened the door. The house's interior completely belied its outside appearance. It was well furnished, and seemed almost untouched. A thick layer of dust covered everything in sight. Jack put his bag on the ground and walked further into the house. He entered the bedroom, and made his way to the dresser next to the double sized bed. A picture sat atop it. Jack picked it up, then let out a silent gasp and slammed it face down.

An hour later, the young man had finished unpacking and cleaning the dust from the farm cabin. He stepped outside the house to sit on the porch. The sun had begun to set, and Jack could look across past the lake to see the orange orb dissipate. On one side, the giant Luna Mountain. On the other, Flowerbud.

"Well, Jack, I see you've made yourself at home. When I heard you were returning, I had your water and electricity turned back on."

Mayor West, the longtime leader of Flowerbud Village, came in through the open gate. His red jacket and thin, circular glasses gave him the appearance of a scholar.

"You know Jack, you'll have to come into town some time."

Jack watched the short, plump Mayor walk past his fields.

"It's quite a mess out here. But you've got your Grandfather's blood in you. If anyone can replenish this place..."

"I didn't come here to be a gardener, Mr. West."

"Then why did you?"

The short man walked closer to Jack's porch.

"None of us thought we'd ever see you again."

Jack sighed.

"It was the only place I could go." There was a pause. "I got into trouble. Just like him."

"Jack, his problems are not your own."

Jack glared at the Mayor, stood up and started to walk into the house.

"You can't keep blaming yourself for your father's mistakes!"

Jack turned. "I don't. I blame him for mine." With that, he walked into his house and slammed the door.

The Mayor shook his head. "What are we going to do with you, Jack?"

* * *

The Next Day…

Sunlight streamed through into the cabin bedroom for the first time in years. Jack slowly got out of bed to meet a new day. He checked his watch. Nine o'clock. After taking a shower, brushing his teeth and putting his clothes on, he looked himself in the mirror. He knew he'd have to go into town today, and he dreaded it. Memories of the last time he had seen Flowerbud were still fresh in his mind. A small part of him wished everyone could forget about the past, but if he was incapable of doing so, so was everyone else.

Jack walked into town, and the strange feeling of deja-vu he had felt yesterday returned. Flowerbud hadn't changed. The welcome sign, a wooden tulip with the words 'Welcome to Flowerbud- Where families can grow.' caught his eye. A lady in a white and blue outfit passed him by.

"Well hello there, stranger."

He looked away from the welcome sign into her eyes. She stepped back.

"Oh… oh my. Oh my god."

The woman turned as quickly as possible and made a beeline for her house. Off to a great start, thought Jack. He continued down the cobbled road. Any person who glanced out the window immediately began staring. Jack finally reached the grocery store. The bell rang as he entered. A girl with strange pink hair- a trait that ran in her mother's side- looked up at him. "Hey there, uh… Do I know you?" Jack decided to skip the explanation. "Probably not. I'm new." She smiled, obviously glad to have more men her age in the town. "Well, let me be the first to welcome you to Flowerbud. And to Lilia's Market. Is there anything I can do for you?" He nodded, and decided to humor her for being the first person in town to not shun him. "I need some instant noodles, a pack of Coke and another smile, please." She giggled. "So," she said, as he brought the items to the counter. "Roughing it?" He passed her the packs of noodles and spoke. "How'd you know that?"

"Well, you're new to town and you're buying Ramen and Coca-Cola."

Jack laughed. "You got me."

"Well, if you're that bad off, why not come have dinner with us tonight?"

Uh-oh. Jack figured Lilia and her husband would remember him, even if their daughter didn't. "No, I couldn't, I mean…"

"Oh… I came on too strong, didn't I? I always do that, damn it, damn it, damn it!"

Great. Now he had alienated the one person who didn't hate him. "Guess I'll just have to bite the bullet." he thought.

"No, no, it's not that. Not at all. Really, dinner sounds great."

She calmed down instantly.

"Alright then. Come back around 6:30… by the way, what's your name?"

No use lying now. "Jack."

"Popuri. See you tonight, Jack."

Jack nodded. Now he was in trouble. He just hoped Lilia would be more understanding than most of the villagers.

* * *

Later That Night

Jack returned to Lilia's Market, and knocked on the door opposite the store side of the house.

A woman began to talk as she opened it. "I think it's Jack. Pleasure to meet you Ja-" She literally froze with the door wide open. Jack shifted his eyes to the ground, and an uncomfortable silence followed until Popuri came to the door. "What are you doing, Mom? Come in, Jack." Jack walked inside, avoiding eye contact with Lilia. Popuri's father entered the room. He, like Popuri, was oblivious to Jack's real identity. "Hello, Jack. Nice to meet you. I'm Greg." He extended his hand, and Jack shook it. "I see you've met Lilia as well… We're about eat, so have a seat at the table." Jack was eager to get away from Popuri's mother. As dinner was served and eaten, Lilia constantly stared at the familiar face, trying to disprove the resemblance. But it was there. It was him. Conversation was largely unimportant, with Jack's answers being broad. Specifics were something he tried to avoid.

"So, Jack. Where are you from?"

"New York."

"Really? You've come a long way. And to such a small town! Why?"

"Um, well… one of my relatives owned a farm here."

Lilia's eyes widened.

"Oh, really? Who was he, I'm sure I knew him."

That's it. There's no way Jack could worm his way out of this one.

"Martin. Martin Walker. He was my grandfather."

Lilia dropped her fork.

"Oh! Yeah! Martin, I remember him. So that must make you Jack Walke-"

Everything clicked in Greg's head, and he turned pale.

"You… you're…" Lilia almost screamed.

Greg summoned up every bit of his courage.

"Get… get out of my house." Popuri was confused and angry with her father. "Dad, what the hell!" Through the confusion, Jack stood up and headed for the door. So much for that, he thought.

Popuri tried to follow him, but her father stopped her, and began talking too low for Jack to hear. He left the house and then the town. After he made it by the buildings, he began to run towards Luna Mountain. It was a relatively long way to the summit. When he came to the top of the mountain, Jack collapsed panting. After he caught his breath, he simply gazed at the stars.

"This town will never accept me."

He heard light footsteps. It was the pink-haired girl. He tried to ignore her.

"Jack, those things they said… They aren't true, right?"

She waited for an answer, but none came. "I mean, you can't be related to him, can you?"

She asked again. "Are you his son?"

"Yes."

Popuri stuttered for a moment, then turned and ran.

Once again, Jack was alone.

* * *

Dark here. I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of No Looking Back. Please take the time to tell me what you thought in a review. Thanks for reading.


	2. Better Than Starving

Another sleepy day passed Jack by. The money he had wouldn't last forever. He'd have to find a job. Or figure out how to grow something, which wasn't very likely.

A while later, Jack was going shop-to-shop asking for work. It took about five seconds before the people in question closed the door in face. The rude slam was followed by a clicking noise. Great. After being rejected for the fifteenth time, Jack was ready to give up. No one in town was going to look him straight in the eyes, much less hire him. After walking into the town square, he sat down on a bench, head in hands. A voice interrupted his thinking.

"Career trouble?"

It was Mayor West.

"How do all the people in this town know what I'm thinking?"

West chuckled. "We may not be too traveled, but we're wise."

"Sure."

"Listen, Jack. It's going to take some time before the people are able to trust you. Still, I know you need money."

The stubby man leaned back in the bench. "Why don't you try the Green Ranch? They're new here. They need farmhands, and they don't know about… the incident."

Jack gave him a halfhearted glance. "Why, so they can find out my secret and chase me away with pitchforks?"

"Jack, I'll speak to Doug personally. He's an understanding man."

Jack resigned himself. "Well… I guess so. Better than starving."

"That's the spirit! Come with me."

* * *

The Green Ranch was just outside town. It was thankfully free of any painful memories. A large barn and grazing field was the backdrop for the scenic ranch. West and Jack strolled through the large arch, and down the path to the small store. Inside, a red-haired man and his daughter were carrying packs of feed that were clearly too heavy for them. Mayor West cleared his throat when they put the bags down.

"Ugh… get this…. Over there… Gah, there." The father turned. "Oh! Thomas, how are ya?"

The Mayor smiled. "Doing just fine. Doug, I'd like you and Ann to meet Jack. He's been looking for a job."

Doug took Jack's hand and smiled at him. "Pleased to meet yeh. You new here?"

"You could say that."

"Well, if yer in need of a job, ya came to the right place. We 'kin use another set of hands around here."

This feeling of acceptance was alien to Jack, but he wasn't complaining. "I'm sure I'll be able to help you."

Doug patted Jack on the back. "Good, good. Anyways, I'd like you to meet my daughter Ann. She ain't much to look at, but she's a hard worker."

"Dad!" The redhead lightly punched her father on the arm.

"Hehehe, I'm just playin' with yeh, sweetie."

He definitely was, Jack thought. Ann was plenty to look at. She had a cute delicate face, light freckles and long braided hair. "Nice to meet you, Jack."

Jack blinked, then nodded. "Yeah, uh… same."

Doug and West burst into laughter. "Look at 'im! He's all red, Hawhawhaw!"

Jack cracked a smile, and so did Ann.

* * *

Later

Jack and Ann were in the barn, Ann feeding the animals, Jack hauling crates of milk.

"So, Jack. Tell me a bit about yourself."

He set down the large box near the others. "Well, I came here from New York."

"Really? I've never been to a big city. What's it like?"

"Well, it's a lot faster. Everyone's always in a hurry, and you never get a minute to yourself."

"That sounds horrible."

"It's not that bad. The people there are a lot more open-minded. At least, some of them."

"I see… why did you decide to come here?"

Jack saw the resemblance in the conversation. He had a feeling this would end up like last night. Still, Mayor West had talked with Doug, and Doug hadn't come running in the barn with a shotgun.

"My Grandfather used to own a farm here, before he passed away. Martin Walker was his name."

"Martin Walker… Hey, I remember that guy! The Walker farm, yeah. So it's all yours now?"

"Yep. All mine. But it's so old… there's not much I could do with it."

Ann gave him a skeptical look.

Later that night, when all the work was finished, Jack sat at the table with Doug, Ann and a man he hadn't met.

"Oh yeah, forgot to tell you. This is Gray, my… _son_." Doug put a sarcastic emphasis on the last word. Jack wondered why he hadn't seen Gray all through the day.

"I know what you're thinking. Where was he when we were working? You see, Gray's too good for simple farming." Doug snorted with laughter. "He's an _artist_."

"Stop it, Dad." Ann stood up for Gray, who kept silent.

"For god's sake Ann, he works less than you."

"No, he just does different things. You know he works hard!"

"Yeah, with that lowlife Saibara and hi-"

Gray slammed his fist down on the table. "Don't insult him."

Doug stood up. "Or you'll do what? Paint me to death?"

Gray responded by simply leaving the room. Ann muttered to herself, and Jack made sure to keep quiet.

After dinner, Jack excused himself and walked outside. He noticed Gray sitting at the edge of the field, and walked over to talk to him.

"Come to taunt me? Don't waste your time, Doug's taken care of that."

Jack sat down next to him. "Nah, I'm not like that. What's that you're doing?"

Gray sighed. "Painting."

Jack took a minute to study the picture. It looked like it belonged in one of the galleries he had been to back home. It was beautiful. "Holy… Gray, that's the best painting I've ever seen."

The artist paused for a moment, as if he didn't believe what he was hearing. "That's… really? No one has ever said _anything_ like that to me before."

In a way, Jack knew what Gray was feeling. "Gray, the people in this town… they're very traditional. They can't understand stuff like this. At least not now. But that'll change."

Gray chuckled. "I doubt it. All the same, it's nice to have at least one fan. You know, I don't just do paintings."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. I also craft things from minerals." Gray pulled something out his pocket. It was a bracelet, made from some kind of metallic ore, and of the same quality as the picture.

"Where'd you get that ore?"

"The mine near the mountain. Used to be a gold mine, but it's run dry. That's how Flowerbud was created, actually. Still, if you go a little bit down in there, you can find some nice stuff."

Jack felt the bracelet. It was smooth and glossy, almost naturally. "You know Gray, you could make a lot of money selling this stuff."

"Nah… I couldn't find enough of the ore. I'm just not able to go to deep into the mine."

"I could go for you."

Gray looked at Jack. "Yeah… yeah, you could! Jack, I'd owe you one forever!"

Jack smiled. "I'll take care of it. No need to thank me, just promise to remember who helped you out when you're famous." They both chuckled.

"Later, Gray."

"Bye, Jack."

'Well, there's one more friend.' thought Jack.

When he returned to the house, he found Doug sitting alone in a chair. The middle aged man huffed. "I saw you talking to Gray."

"He's a good guy. I like him."

"Yeah, yeah… Pity he hasn't worked a day in his damn life."

"You know," Said Jack, careful not to anger Doug, "Those paintings of his are really good. And so is the jewelry he ma-"

"Hah! Exactly. My son makes jewelry. How the hell did it come to this…"

"Have you ever seen one of his works?"

Doug didn't answer.

"Maybe if you just gave him a chance, you could see it in a different light."

"Jack… I dunno. I just…" Doug changed the subject. "Thomas told me about your father."

Jack looked down.

"Don't worry. I'd be a damn hypocrite if I blamed you for that. If I… If I did that, I wouldn't want Ann to take the heat. I know you've been through hell."

"Thank you, Doug."

Doug's country dialect returned. "Yeh, don't mention it. Anyways, it's getting' late. Go get some rest, yeh got work to do tomorrow."

"Alright. Goodnight."

"Night."

As Jack headed for the arch to leave the farm, Ann stopped him.

"I've been watching you."

"Oh, I've got a spy on my hands, do I?"

"Hehe. You've gotten Dad _and _Gray to take a liking to you in only one day."

"Well, I guess it's just my charming personality, strong will and uh… modesty."

She smiled and walked up behind him. "I'm beginning to think Flowerbud just got a lot more interesting." She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and ran back to the cabin.

Jack blushed. "Yeah… so do I."

* * *

Ooh, romance. How sweet. Anyway, thanks to everyone who uh... _will_ review. Because no one has. Rawrawrawr. Chapter Three should be up soon. 


	3. Country Home Living

Days turned into weeks as Jack continued working for the Green Ranch. Life was good. He felt like he had a home in the people there. Doug was almost a father to him within a matter of weeks, Gray had shown him ways of looking at nature he'd had never even considered and Ann… Well, Ann quickly became his favorite person in the world. It was as if the tragedy he'd been through never happened. Doug paid him well enough to afford food, but Jack ended up eating at the Green Ranch most of the time. The money was stored in a bottle above Jack's fridge. He figured it would come in handy one day. One day in particular, Jack and Gray were out near Mother's Hill, the lower part of Luna Mountain, watching the animals. Gray, as usual, had a sketchbook, filled with detailed images of wildlife.

"So Jack, see anything good?"

"Well, I see some grasshoppers on that log over there… I think that might be an owl in that oak tree… hey, what's that?"

The biggest bird Jack had ever seen landed in a tree across from his location. It looked like a cross between a falcon and a crane, and was… bright red, with yellow contours.

"Oh man… I've never seen anything like it! Quick, draw it!"

Jack remembered he had brought along an old disposable camera that was in his pack. He pulled it out and snapped a picture of the bird. Gray continued to sketch the fowl. After a couple minutes, it simply flew off- as if it had come to pose for the two men, then continue on with its day.

After they returned, they found Doug sitting outside his house.

"Find anything interestin'?" He had become much more accepting of Gray's ways since Jack entered their lives. Still, he pretended to be the gruff farmer he always was.

"The strangest bird I've ever seen." Gray showed his father the now colored sketches. "Jack got a picture of it, too."

Even Doug was taken aback. "I'll be damned. You sure it looked just like that?"

Gray nodded.

"That really is strange. Anyway, as fer the picture, give it to me, I'll send it off to Mineral Town. They have a pharmacy that kin develop pictures there."

Jack put the camera in Doug's hands, then thanked him.

"Oh, and Jack. Ann needs your help in the barn. And Gray, could you please get the cows back in the barn? There's a storm coming."

Gray smiled. "Already did, Pa."

A friendly cackle came from Doug. "Fine, fine. You need to go see Saibara, right? Go on. Tell the old coot I said hey."

Jack was happy to see the two get along so well with each other. In time, maybe the might even see eye to eye. He walked over to the barn and pushed open the huge red door. "Ann? You in here?"

A voice came from the rafters. "Up here, Jack."

Jack climbed the ladder up to the loft, sitting next to Ann on a bale of hay. "Enjoying the view, Ann?"

Ann smiled, looking at the small opening in the wall. A scenic view of Flowerbud and Luna Mountain was laid out before them. "It's nice to look at things from another side." said Jack.

He put his arm around her, and pulled the redhead closer. From his farm, the village looked unattainable. But from the Green Ranch, it looked like home.

"One day, it _will _be your home, Jack."

Jack rolled his eyes. "What is it with farmers and latent psychic abilities?" They both laughed.

* * *

The sun set on another day, and Jack was on his way home. The path home was surprisingly free of bad memories. It gave Jack time to think about his situation. About Gray, Doug… and Ann. There was little the three didn't know about him. After living a life of secrets… that felt nice. Jack decided he'd get Ann a present, something she'd really like. 

But he wasn't able to consider what the gift would be. At that moment, he noticed a collapsed figure on the ground. "Damn, who's that!" Jack dashed to the person on the ground. It was a man, about his age. His hair was dark brown, with streaks of lighter blonde in the front. Jack prodded the man, then felt his pulse. He was alive, but out cold. The farmer picked up the injured stranger and carried him home, then laid him on his couch.

It was the middle of the night when the man awoke. Jack quickly came to his side.

"Hey, buddy… you alright?"

He slowly pulled his head off the pillow."groan… Where the hell am I?"

"Outside of Flowerbud. You collapsed near my house."

"You… brought me here? Damn. Thanks."

"No problem. What happened to you anyway?"

The man sat up, feeling a little bit better. "I was on my way…somewhere when some punks attacked me."

"Attacked you? What is this, the Wild West?"

"Don't ask me. All I know is that I have to… Oh… oh no!"

"What? What's wrong?"

Now in a frenzied panic, the man looked through his jacket, throwing things on the ground. He pulled out a wallet and flipped through it. "Yep… that's me. Cliff Kamsey. At least, I think that's me."

"You think?"

"I don't remember a damn thing about who I am or what exactly I was doing. All I know is that my name is Cliff."

"Amnesia. Perfect."

Cliff stared at the wall for a while. "Yeah. I don't know where to go."

Jack knew he'd regret this, but something made him do it anyway. "Well Cliff, you can stay here, at least until you figure out what you needed to do."

"Really? You'll just let me stay?"

"Yeah. Knowing the people in this town, it'd probably be a mistake to let you go wandering in alone."

"Bit judgmental, are they?"

"You don't know the half of it."

"Heh."

For the next two hours, Cliff and Jack began to talk. They got along well, and Cliff learned all about Jack's past, the problems with the townspeople, and the Green Ranch. They became fast friends, their personalities complimenting each other perfectly.

"And that's where I am now."

"Doesn't seem too bad." Cliff slowly got up off the couch, rubbing his head and mumbling something about men in purple hats. "So, this is a farm?" He began to head for the exit to the house.

Jack paused. "I uh… I guess you could kind of say that."

The door opened, and Cliff looked nonplussed. "Um… well… The weed crop seems to be coming along nicely."

Jack chuckled sarcastically. "Like I said, I inherited this farm. I mostly do work for the Green Ranch. This place is dead."

"Are you crazy?"

"Huh?"

"Look at this. You've got maybe 15 acres of land out here. Why the hell are you working for someone else when you could be doing it all yourself?"

"What could I do with this hellhole?"

"Plenty!" Cliff turned and started walking towards Jack. "Grow something! Revitalize the place! There's a barn out there, buy some animals!"

Jack wasn't convinced. "Where would I get that kind of money?"

Cliff began to survey the room, then took a jar from the top of the fridge.

"This is plenty to buy all the tools and seeds you need. Grow some plants, sell them, and buy some animals, you know! We could work together, clear this land out. If your story was true, this used to be a great farm. Come on Jack, we could do this."

"I dunno Cliff…"

"Jack, you've been given something you can hold on to for the first time in your life. Are you just going to ignore it?"

Jack scratched his chin, thinking deeply. "You're right. But who would work at the Green Ranch?"

Cliff, always ready, came up with a solution. "We both can. In the day, we'd work on the farm. Afterwards, we could both go to the Green Ranch. Two times the manpower means we'd only need half the time. You know this could work, Jack."

Jack accepted defeat. "Cliff, I'm beginning to think Flowerbud just got a lot more interesting."

Cliff gave him the thumbs up. "I think so too."

* * *

Jack's workload doubled in the next few weeks, but it was fine with him. Doug was sure he added years onto his life by getting Jack to work for him, so he didn't have to think twice about hiring Cliff. And so, Jack's makeshift family grew. The farm itself improved as well. The pair cleared out sections of land every day, and often Ann, Doug and Gray came to help. After about a month of work, it was beginning to look like an actual farm. Gray even helped make a second bed for Cliff, which, in turn, impressed Doug. Everything seemed perfect in the land outside Flowerbud. Too perfect. Jack had noticed the growing friendship between Cliff and Ann. Before long, their relationship had become serious, and Jack's chances with Ann were out the window. But, he realized having Ann as a friend was just as good. And there would always be more fish in the sea, right? 

Jack had no idea how horribly, horribly right he was.

* * *

Dark here. Hope you enjoyed chapter three. Yes, the chapter title is a reference to my favorite Harvest Moon fic of all time, by Ferocious Death-Kappa. Check it out, it's in my favorites. Anyway, thanks to the lone reviewer, KarieLuisaSaja. Who is the strange assailant that Amnesia'd Cliff? And what does that ominous last line mean? Find out next chapter. Adios! 


	4. The Festival Heats Up

_Two Months Later_

Jack surveyed the farmland he'd been working so hard on. Fields of tomatoes and corn had begun to sprout up, and were almost ready for harvesting. The pictures of the bird had returned, and they were kept in his desk next to the bed. Though everything seemed fine, Jack was beginning to feel the isolation get to him. But how long would it take before the people would accept him?

He got his answer in the form of a small man in a red suit. Mayor Thomas West, the only outsider Jack had been in contact with for the past few weeks, once again returned to his farm. The unwilling farmer was watering tomatoes.

"Well Jack, it looks like you really _are_ a gardener."

Jack chuckled, finished off the plants and set the can down on his porch. "I had a little help from some friends."

West smiled. "Glad to hear it."

"I'm guessing you've got some news, or an inspirational speech to put me on the right path?"

"Hah. Smartass. Though you're right." The mayor inspected the tomato plants. "The Harvest Festival is coming up. First of next month."

"You're not actually suggesting…"

Thomas interrupted him. "Yes, I am. The people may have prejudices against you, but you've done nothing wrong- they can't stop you from coming. And living here like a hermit isn't going to aid their views of you."

"But I…"

"Plus, these crops look wonderful. You could easily enter them and win."

"I agree." Cliff walked up behind Jack, patting him on the back. "Come on, after all this hard work, why not win a contest or two?"

"Not you too, Cliff."

Mayor West's eyes twinkled. "Who might this be?"

"Cliff Kamsey," the young man replied. "Pleasure to meet you, Mr. West. Jack's told me about you."

"I see. You've done a fine job with this place."

"Thanks. But I just helped out. Jack's the one with the green thumb."

"I'm sure. It runs in his family." Mayor West winked at Jack.

* * *

One harvest and several days later, Jack was all ready to go to the Harvest Festival. But what would the people think? He was expecting the worst, but what he got was… well, different.

Jack finished cleaning up, then met Gray and Cliff outside. "Where's the old man and Ann?"

"They had to finish something up back home. We'll meet 'em there."

The town itself looked abandoned. All the shops were closed, nobody was home… even the animals seemed to be at the Festival. In a small town like Flowerbud, this was pretty common. Still, past the long walk down the main road of the town, the sounds of a party became clearer.

As they entered the Town Square, the three couldn't help but to stare. The village they thought was so small had come alive with activity. Music, dancing, food… Everything seemed idyllic. As they walked by the reception desk, the Mayor smiled at Jack, and then accepted the produce he was entering in the contest. The group split up to look around the festival. No one seemed to notice Jack. He was free to wander around the townsfolk for the first time in a long while. As he passed the town preacher talking to some children, he noticed Popuri with some dark-skinned guy. Jack didn't let it affect him. After buying some food and taking in the sights for a while, Jack heard a voice from the stage set up in the middle of the square. After a while, several of the girls he knew had disappeared.

"Ahem! Ahem." Mayor West tried his hardest to look stately. "I'd like to formally welcome you all to the Annual Harvest Festival." Cheers came from the crowd. "As most of you know, it's time for an old tradition in the village. In just a minute the dancers will come to the stage, and…" A scream cut short his speech. All eyes were now on the building behind the stage. It was older, wooden, and as such susceptible to the flames that now licked its walls. They'd grown unseen, but they spread hungrily, covering more and more of the cabin every second. The entrance was still open, but smoke now openly poured from inside. The crowd was still in shock fading to panic when Jack caught Cliff's eyes. The girls were there, getting ready for the dance.

Without wasting the time needed to plan, both men dashed out of the crowd into the burning building. It was nothing like the movies. Open flames did not cover dislodged debris blocking his way. There was very little but thick smoke and heat, the combination of which almost made Jack collapse. Both dropped to the ground and began to crawl as quickly as possible. Deeper in, a thick wooden door blocked their path. Considering the girls had to be in there, Jack prayed for cold. He felt the door. Warm, but not hot. Cliff nodded. They braced themselves, feeling the heat grow more intense with each passing moment, and slammed into the door. It caved a bit, but did not break. Before they had a chance to try again, a force broke it down from inside, sending splinters into Jack and Cliff. The confused face of a woman stared down the two would-be heroes, who returned the bewildered look, as if neither party expected the other to be there. Behind her, the other village girls stood, hesitantly deciding what to do. Cliff broke the silence. "Come on, let's get out of here!" The group was glad to oblige. Jack pulled the girl by the arm towards the exit, ignoring the ever-thickening smoke that traveled down his lungs and burned his eyes. In the back, a black-haired girl Jack had not seen before tripped and landed with a painful crack on this ground. The farmer dodged a girl he thought was Ann and ran back to the fallen woman. He extended a hand and enclosed her in his arms. The fire now spread inside the building, and the structure began to unravel in front of his eyes. Smoke and ash burning his nostrils, he sprinted towards the exit. The exposure left him weakened, and dazed. "Just a little bit longer…" The light of day, something that had never seemed so beautiful, poured into his eyes. Cliff and the other girls were waiting between the building and the crowd. Already others were running for the saved girls, holding them and offering words of comfort.

When they looked up and saw Jack standing with the black haired girl, they froze. The panic turned to silence and it seemed even the raging fire, which had been contained to the building alone, was quieted. Even the girl herself turned to truly think about who she was with, and instinctively backed up a few steps. "It's Jack Walker!" exclaimed someone he could not see. The silence broke into murmurs, questions both fearful and angry. Though he could hear none of the conversing, Jack was fully aware what was happening. It'd only be a moment before the villagers implicated him in starting the fire, or something equally sinister. He dropped his head and braced himself. The whispering became louder, turning into angry words and shouts. The crowd had become a full-on mob. The mayor, who'd been watching all of this from the stage, strode with a never before seen purpose to Jack.

"What is WRONG with you people?"

Silence. If the crowd had been awed by Jack's presence, it was stricken by Mayor Thomas' rage. He continued. "A fire nearly kills the daughters of this village, and you stand there like children! When two men who have absolutely no relation to any of them risk their lives to save them, are you grateful? NO! Because of a tragedy that happened before some of you even lived here, you try to make them out as villains! Is this right? Is this just? Father Carter, is this what God teaches us to do?" A robed man in the crowd attempted to make himself invisible. The Mayor's voice regained its normal volume. "I'm ashamed. Ashamed at all of you for being so stupid, and ashamed at myself for allowing my village to become… this." He turned curtly and beckoned to Jack and Cliff. "Come with me." They didn't dare raise question. As the three moved, the crowd parted. Jack made the mistake of looking into the eyes of the villagers. But instead of fear, or anger…

He saw guilt.

* * *

Dark here. After an eternity, Chapter 4 is here. Summer starts soon, so hopefully I'll be able to finish this epic fiction. Thanks to SomeDude and Religouls for reviewing, but CFFJ gets the 'Review of the Month' medal. As for your complaint, noted. The main thing separating 'acceptance' from 'rejection' is who the villagers are. Cliff is new, the Greens are new, and Mayor Thomas is just a good guy. Most others follow a mob mentality, and have probably heard a ghost story or two about 'the Walker family.' As for his crime, well, you'll find out soon enough. Hope I answered your question. Next chapter, we'll see if the events have changed the villagers at all. But hey, who started the fire, anyway? 


	5. Angels and Demons

"Well, that could have gone worse."

"Hm."

"We could have died. Y'know, in the fire."

"Hm."

The two men sprawled out lazily in the farmhouse living room, both overheated from the fire. Though he tried to keep up a happy demeanor, but even the unsinkable Cliff Kamsey's grin was absent from his face. Jack was destroyed. It was fine and good to pretend the villagers hated him when he never went into town, but he'd put himself on the line this time. And he was rejected again. The fan blew at full speed, rocking ever so slightly. Jack focused on a single blade, trying to follow its circular path. What had happened at the Festival constantly replayed in his mind.

A knock on the door came an hour or so after they returned home. Cliff started for the door, but Jack motioned for him to take a seat, and stepped to the entrance. He unlatched the door. It was Mayor Thomas, but that wasn't what surprised him. Behind the plump politician, the girls Jack and Cliff saved from the fire were standing, somber looks on their faces. Doug and Gray were present. Saibara the blacksmith, Popuri's father Jef, too. Others that he'd not met before were also waiting. It wasn't the full village, not by a long shot. But as his eyes traveled from each person to the next, it began to dawn on him what was happening. "Jack." The Mayor started. "These people have something to say to you and Cliff." Cliff was behind Jack at this point, too confused to ask any questions.

The black haired girl Jack had gone back to help spoke first. "Thank you so much for saving us." Others spoke up, apologies and thanks alike. The girl who kicked down the door caught Jack's eye. She was stunning, with long, light brown hair and blonde bangs, as well as green eyes that looked like they'd been worked out of jade. Her face was young, but had a strong sense of pride, like a soldier who'd returned home. She was, put simply, beautiful. She spoke. "The people of this town owe you an apology. Old habits die hard, but we're going to try our best to help you out." Jack managed to mouth a weak thank you. He spoke with the other villagers, but in his mind he could think only of her. After a while, the group dispersed, leaving only Mayor Thomas, Jack and Cliff.

"Looks like you're a better person than you thought, Jack." The mayor smirked.

"And you're not a terrible mayor, either." All three laughed.

"I want to see you two in town, some. You wouldn't want the townspeople to forget about what you did, would you?"

Cliff spoke for him. "Nope. And I'm tired of sending Ann to do all our shopping."

Jack tried to hide his happiness. "Fine. We'll come by some. But only because you asked."

Mayor Thomas turned without speaking and walked to the edge of the property, a knowing smile on his face. When he reached the gate he waved, and spoke to himself. "I knew you could do it, Jack."

* * *

The next day, Jack and Cliff went out. Dressed in their best clothes, the two headed down the road to Flowerbud Village. They passed the flower sign at the entrance without blinking. A woman noticed them, and stopped for a moment. Others in the road followed suit. Several eyes rest on them once again. Jack felt a flash of unease, until he heard a voice. "Mr. Walker, fine day, ain't it?" Saibara had called from his shop. Jack responded. "Yessir, it is." Slowly but surely, the others continued their tasks, ignoring or even saying hello to Jack and Cliff. And so they continued unopposed. The grass had never been so green, sun so bright and sky ever as blue, thought Jack.

* * *

Only half a mile away, in the village bar, a bearded man who felt quite the opposite held a cup filled with liquor loosely in one hand. The other placed a cigarette in his oversized mouth. Tendrils of smoke drifted to the ceiling and were dispersed by the ceiling fan. Several men sat at his table, all looking equally down. After a pause and a long drink from his glass, he spoke. 

"That boy needs to learn his place." His compatriots nodded sagely. One of the men, a dark-skinned, muscular type, adjusted his bandanna and stood. "I think I might just have to teach him myself." He left the other men in silence, and exited the building.

* * *

Jack and Cliff had planned to go to the General Store first, to pick up some supplies for the farm. The last time Jack had been here, a mortified Jeff ordered him out. But things had changed now. The bell on the doorframe jingled as Jack and Cliff entered the store. A man in a purple vest, with salt and pepper hair was arguing with Jeff about something. "I'll pay later, Jeff." The shopkeeper tried to protest. "That's what you said last time, and the time before that, and…" The larger man silenced him. "No need to get all ruffled up, little man. I'll pay when I'm ready." Jeff, too small to really do anything about the situation, sighed and dropped his head. "Fine. Bye, Duke." Duke smiled. "That's the spirit. See you next we-" He was walking for the door when a hand grabbed his collar and yanked him back to the counter. "Not this time, Duke. You're paying today." It was the girl from before, the one with jade eyes. She was a head shorter than Duke, but it didn't seem to affect her one bit. He laughed, and brushed her off with more difficulty than he expected. "Little girl, you're too young to sticking your nose where it doesn't belong. Like I said, I'll pay-" 

"Today." All three turned to the door, facing the man who spoke. It was Jack. "You'll pay today, and you won't complain, either." Duke started his big-man act again, but quickly shut up when he realized Jack was his height, and just as broad in the shoulders. "I… this is none of your… Who gave you the right to… Urgh!" Finally the man turned around and slammed a wad of bills on the counter. "There, what I owe and then some. See if I ever come around here again." He stormed out, tried to shove by Jack but failed miserably, and then disappeared down the road.

The girl gave Jack a mischievous grin, then turned her gaze to Jeff. "Are you always going to let people like that walk all over you?" The storeowner focused on the floor between his shoes. "What could I do? I can't force him to do anything. I'm just a loser."

"And there's your problem." Said Cliff, stepping forward. "You start thinking like that and you'll never stand up to anyone. What's he gonna do anyway? Not pay his tab and then beat you up for demanding money? I'm sure Mayor Thomas would be just _fine _with that." Jeff sighed. "You're right. I just need to… work on it. Thank you both." He then realized whom he was talking to. "And uh, Jack. I'm really sorry about that… time. I was stupid to believe all the rumors." Jack shook his head. "The past is the past. For now, I'd like to buy some things."

After purchasing what he needed, Jack leaned on the counter and struck up conversation with the girl. "Well, you've got a pretty hard head on your shoulders." She grinned coyly. "Heh. It runs in the family, I guess. Name's Karen, by the way. Karen Weiss." The two shook hands slowly, each examining the other very, very closely. She was prettier than he'd remembered; in a low cut violet top and blue jeans. Her clothes revealed enough of her figure for Jack to draw conclusions with, and he liked what he saw. Cliff interrupted with a cough. "Oh, that's right. We've got to go, Karen. Business in the town, y'know?" Karen nodded, and left the store after saying her farewells. She turned as the door closed, and Jack swore he saw her wink.

Outside the store, Cliff teased Jack mercilessly. "I thought you two were going to start going at it right in the store, man. And, I got this weird feeling about her. Like, I knew her, or we were related or something." Jack stopped. "You think she might have something to do with why you were coming to Flowerbud?" Cliff thought for a moment. "I think, maybe…"

"Hey! Farmer boys!"

They turned to see a dangerous looking man in a black leather jacket starting towards them. His skin was a chestnut brown, and a purple bandanna covered his hair. A malicious grin split his face in two.

"We've got a score to settle."

* * *

Cliffhanger. Thanks to Kingdom Keyblade for the unique review. Next chapter, who is this dark man? Is Karen the reason Cliff is in Flowerbud? Will Jeff ever stop being a wimp? Find out next time. Stay in school, kiddies. 


	6. The Bandits Appear

"A score to settle?" Cliff laughed. "You and half the other people in this village. We don't really give a damn. I'm still not sure what you have against us, but we're not wasting our time on punks like you." The dark-skinned man continued walking forward. "You don't quite understand me. I mean we have…" He allowed a small handle to fall out of his jacket sleeve, and then pressed it with his thumb. "A _score…_" A blade flicked outwards. "To _settle_."

Cliff took a step back, realization flashing in his eyes. "You… you're the one who attacked me on the way to the village, aren't you?"

The man did not stop. "Maybe I am. Maybe I'm not. But I am the guy who's going to attack you now."

Jack put his arm in front of Cliff, keeping his eyes locked on the other man. "Cliff, let me handle this." The man with the knife laughed. "Handle it, huh? You don't know what you're getting into, farmboy." Neither moved, now. The road was empty. Both stood, waiting. And then the man charged. His knife spun into an aggressive stance, and it pierced the air where Jack's head had been. The farmer dodged to the side, arms extended wide. His opponent shifted his weight and cut diagonally, missing Jack's neck by inches. Jack grabbed his wrist as it moved downward, and used the opening to twist around and elbow the other man in the face. The man with the purple bandanna fell back into a roll, recovered and wiped the blood from his face.

"Who the hell are you?"

"Jack Walker."

"Kai Karabiner."

Kai didn't stop for long. He stabbed at Jack again and again, feeling his hand blocked by a stiff forearm every time, until finally his entire right arm ached with pain. "You son of a bitch…" Kai used every bit of his strength to kick at Jack, who grappled it by the knee and sent the tan man flying. Kai recovered on his right arm, using the airtime to switch his knife-hand. In a last ditch attempt to take out Jack, he threw the knife into the air and jumped, knees up to his chest, grabbing the knife and coming down like a bat. Jack seemed to spin through the air like a ribbon in the wind, his leg coming across Kai's side with a deafening _whump._ Kai sailed through the air for a moment, and then dragged across the dirt, flipping over several times on his way down. Dust rose in thick tan clouds above the body of the defeated man. For a moment, a very shocked and injured Kai weakly attempted to get up, but finally collapsed. He gurgled, and spit up a mouthful of blood.

"I must b-be… f-fu… drea-dreaming…"

He turned to Jack.

"You…messed up…m-messed up big ti-time, little m-man. Once they… hear about me, they'll c-come for this whole vill…age." His head lolled back, and he was out cold.

Cliff was slack-jawed. "Jack, what the HELL did you just do?"

Jack didn't answer. He ambled over to Kai's body and kicked it lightly. The man groaned, but hardly moved. His bandanna had come loose, revealing long locks of greasy, curly black hair. "Cliff, go get the Mayor." Jack's friend nodded and ran off towards the town square. From nearby bushes, a pair of green eyes watched intently.

* * *

Mayor Thomas paced back and forth in the Town Hall. Several of the villagers were gathered with him. Kai was at the clinic, having his wounds treated. He'd then be taken to the Hall. To court. Court was something new to the villagers. Many hadn't been around to see the last session. Even Mayor Thomas was new when that one happened. Little deliberation would be needed. Jack had a witness to defend him, and even Gotz and Duke, Kai's good friends, wouldn't show. 

"I had my suspicions…" Mayor Thomas began, "I had my suspicions but not this. Not this, damn it!" He pounded a gloved fist on the wooden pulpit, causing several present to stir. "A knife fight. In our village, a bloody duel! Jack, explain to me again what happened." The farmer calmly repeated the events. "I was just leaving the grocery store when Kai stopped Cliff and I down the road. He told us he 'had a score to settle' and pulled the knife. I gave him a little discipline and then told Cliff to get you." The mayor clasped his head in his hands. 'A little discipline,' he thought, 'sent a man to the hospital in critical condition. What haven't you told us about yourself, Jack?' He sighed. "Alright, I understand. But why would Kai want to hurt either of you?" Cliff spoke up. "I… I think Kai's one of the people who attacked me and knocked me out on the way to the village." The mayor's eyes bulged. "You were _waylaid _on the road and you didn't tell anyone?" Cliff's cheeks glowed pink. "I… didn't think there was anyone who could help me. But I remember someone in a purple bandanna. And there were others. I'm sure the former was Kai." Thomas plopped down in a chair angrily, removed his glasses and groaned. "Bandits have attacked villagers. Bloody bandits."

Jack continued. "What's worse, is when I knocked out Kai, he warned me there were more. And that when they found out what happened to him, they'd come for us. For the whole village."

Mayor Thomas didn't react, but breathed in deeply.

One of the villagers, Popuri's mother Nina, stood up. "You said bandits. As in, more than one. Does that mean…"

"Yes. There are dangerous people in or near Flowerbud."

"You're damn right there are! And one of them is sitting right there!" said Rick, pointing an accusing finger directly at Jack.

The mayor raised his voice. "None of that, now! Jack was defending himself, it's clear. If anything you should be thanking him for revealing the threat, not accusing him of being a part of it!" Rick sunk down without a word. "Now we have to deal with this carefully. I want everyone to gather at the Town Square in two hours. Find all the villagers. Don't talk openly about this, the _last_ thing we need is a panic. If you see anyone who doesn't live here, especially someone who looks less than trustworthy, _stay away._ Does everyone understand?" The mayor punctuated the last sentence definitively. _Everyone_ understood.

* * *

Two hours later, as the last rays of the sun were eclipsed by Luna Mountain and the horizon, every villager gathered in the Town Square. It was a solemn occasion, a festival without lights or songs or smiles. Thomas stood at the head of the crowd on the stage, trying his best to ignore the many questions. Those sent to gather everyone up had done their jobs; there was no panic, simply anxiety. Jack and Cliff stood leaned against the walls of the library, whispering to each other. Finally, Thomas spoke. 

"Everyone, please. I know you all have questions," at this, several affirming shouts came from the crowd, "But if you'll just let me speak I promise to answer them all." The chatter disappeared. "Early today one of our villagers was attacked," Murmurs began, but Thomas silenced them with a harsh look, "But, he was quite capable of defending himself. The culprit is currently in custody, but too injured to really be worried about. The reason that I called you all here today was to warn you that there might be more of those who attacked him." Angry shouts quickly began. "SILENCE!" Yelled Thomas, and there was dead air. "Do _not _panic. The last thing we need is panic. Now I have not gone without planning. We have several very capable men and women working to get to the bottom of this. There is nothing to suggest that there are many of these attackers, or that they are anything more than cowardly. I do ask that everyone stay together until this situation is cleared up. The village is safe, but it's never hurt to be careful. We must stay calm, collected and safe. If anyone- I mean _anyone_ sees something suspicious, report it to Constable Harris or me. Is that clear?" The people nodded gravely. "I'm glad. Please, go to your homes and do not worry. By the morning I'm sure this will all be cleared up. Stay safe, everyone." Mayor Thomas strode down from the stage, amidst low-voiced discontent. He made a beeline for Jack and Cliff. "Well, that's the best I can do. We just have to hope it calms everyone down long enough for us to solve this whole situation." The two nodded. "Mayor Thomas," said Cliff, "You said capable men and _women._" The politician shuffled a bit, and began to speak but was cut off. "Yeah. There somethin' wrong with that?" The three turned to see Karen, dressed in a thicker layer of clothing than before. "I figured you two could use the help of someone who lived here. And don't think I can't take care of myself, either." Cliff tried to formulate a response but Jack was quicker. "You are _not _hunting bandits with us. This isn't a damn movie, you could get hurt, or-" "Killed. I know. And I don't care. Somebody attacked my village. My friends, and my village. And I plan to pay 'em back in spades." Jack resigned. "Has anyone ever told you you have a hard head?" She grinned. "Yeah. You did."

The three collected the little bits of weaponry the villagers had, a rifle from Doug, poles and shovels from houses and a few knives used for skinning. It wasn't exactly an arsenal fit for an army, but Flowerbud was hardly a well equipped settlement, and by all means, it was better than nothing. The mayor stood on the stage, lost in thought, watching the moon. Cliff tapped him on the shoulder. "Ah, it's you three. Suited up for war, it looks. How terrible." Jack shook his head. "Don't worry, Thomas. We'll take care of this and come back by the morning." The mayor nodded solemnly. "Still, how do you plan to find the other bandits? You don't know if they're in the village or hundreds of miles away by now." Jack smiled cruelly. "I have a feeling we can get answers from the esteemed Mr. Karabiner." At this, Cliff cracked his knuckles. Mayor Thomas groaned. "By the Goddess…"

"We're leaving now. Thanks for the help, Mayor." Jack, Cliff and Karen turned and headed towards the clinic. Thomas watched them go, then returned his gaze to the moon. "Good luck, Jack Walker. I'm counting on you. We're all counting on you."

The moon was full.

A perfect night for a hunt.

* * *

Dark here. Three chapters in three days, pretty good for a guy like me, eh? Hopefully the next chapter will be up sometime this week. As for me, I'm studying for finals. Will Jack capture the bandits? Who's working with Kai? And why is everybody after Cliff? Next time, on No Looking Back- Chapter 7: The Hunt for Truth. 


	7. The Hunt For Truth

The clinic was silent. Elli, the nurse, lay half-sleeping at the counter. She'd been watching her patient all day, and most of the night. Last night she worked a double shift, and not an hour after she closed the clinic was Kai brought in. She wasn't able to go to the meeting, though she'd heard the gist of what happened to the man in the hospital bed a few feet from her. Elli had no love for Kai. Even before she knew he was a bandit, she was well aware he was perverse, crude and possibly even a little sadistic. But deep down inside, she felt pity for him. His arm was lightly fractured, shoulder nearly torn out of its socket and his left floater ribs had been all but shattered. No matter what the circumstances, no man should ever be forced to go through that. The petite brown haired girl looked up from her desk.

He was an extremely handsome man, with a young, pretty face and long, thick locks of hair. She glowed red, remembering how embarrassed she was to find herself looking over his body _much _more thoroughly than necessary when changing him. But now that he was in bed, chest labored with the painful task of breathing, the feeling of attraction was replaced with a distant sadness. A slow, unhappy sigh escaped from her lips. The door to the clinic slowly creaked open, allowing a flow of moonlight into the darkened building. As if her thoughts would be displayed to any person unlucky enough to enter, Elli jerked upright and out of her chair. "Excuse me, uhh…why are you here?"

It was Jack, Karen and Cliff. Jack and Cliff continued walking towards Kai's bed, conversing about something she couldn't hear. Karen broke off from the group and bent down to Elli, speaking in a soothing voice. "Come on El, let's give them a minute." She gently put her arm around the nurse and moved her towards the door. Elli squeaked as the she saw over the taller girl's shoulder. Cliff had propped Kai up uncomfortably and Jack was rolling up his sleeves. "Stop! What are you doing!" She yelped. Karen managed to hold Elli down as she fought to make it to Kai. As the two finally moved out the door, Karen closed it behind them and embraced Elli, trying to calm her. "It's ok, El. It's gonna be fine." Elli returned them embrace and planted her head on Karen's shoulder, tears beginning to form in her eyes. "Trust us, Elli." Karen said, hushing her.

The nurse was sobbing too hard to reply.

Inside, Kai weakly growled at the two men who'd forcibly entered the clinic. He wasn't sure what made him angrier, the fact that they planned to beat the information out of him, or because he could do nothing to stop them. Cliff stood behind him, without speaking. Jack pulled up a folding chair and crossed his arms, resting them on the table next to Kai's hospital bed. "You have friends," said Jack, "and I want to know where they are."

Kai simply glared.

* * *

About half an hour later, the two interrogators emerged from the clinic. Elli, who'd been silently waiting on the bench with Karen, jumped up and pushed by them into the building. The door slammed shut. Karen stood and joined the two men. "What happened?" Cliff gave her thumbs up. "We got him to talk," said Jack, "and now we know exactly what we're dealing with. The girl flinched as they walked by her. "Did you… did you really hurt him?" Jack was brief. "There's no time for that now. The bandits are camping northwest of town, just off the road. Kai was supposed to report back this evening, so they'll be making their move any minute now. Come on." Karen had so many questions, but she was too nervous to ask them. The three defenders marched into the night, away from the friendly glow of the village they knew.

The night that had set in was dark. Not the dim nighttime that comes by with each passing day, but a thick, seeping tone that illuminated the world in black. The substantial canopy of the heavy forest only added to the depth of the shade, making the few moonbeams that found their way regretful they'd come. To a normal person, in normal times, it'd be terrifying. But Jack knew that in creeping blackness, he was as well hidden as any make-believe monster you could imagine. This road the group followed was the main path to Flowerbud, if you could call it that. It led back to the mainland, back to civilization. It was rarely used. A faint smolder made the presence of others well known. Jack and Cliff reached for their weaponry. Karen fingered the hilt of her knife nervously, thick beads of sweat dripping down her forehead. The three stopped. Voices.

"I'm tired of this shit. Kai's late by three hours," said a man in a deep German accent, "and Kai is never late."

"Calm down." Answered an American. "He'll get here when he's good and damn ready. Crying like babies about it won't get us anywhere. Sayid, boss contacted us yet?"

There was no reply, but an annoyed grunt from the American signified no. "What a damn joke. Can't say I'm too excited to hear from him though, least not until we get that Ledge guy." The Middle-Eastern man spoke up. "Cliff. His name is Cliff."

"Cliff, Ledge, same damned thing. We had him without even knowing it, and let the bastard go."

"And we only need him to get to Karen. Who we only need to get the key from. After that this whole town can burn for all that matters." Karen paled. Jack seemed worried, almost as much as Cliff, but did not waste time wondering. His questions had been answered. These were the men they were looking for, and they were after Cliff and Karen. He began to formulate a plan to take all three men out at once when suddenly Cliff, growing careless and anxious after hearing his name mentioned, stepped on a branch. It snapped cleanly, and all three men stirred. '_No use planning now…_' thought Jack. He motioned to his friends and charged towards the fire and clearing.

A very surprised group of men managed only angry yells before they were engaged in combat. Jack studied them quickly. The German was the largest, a husky mercenary type with a painful scar extending from eye to chin. The American was a rugged, handsome and lean fighter, and Sayid, the Middle-Easterner, looking as dangerous as he did intelligent. Jack, Cliff and Karen quickly chose targets and attacked.

Jack found himself up against the German. Using the few seconds he had an advantage in, the farmer hefted his pole high in the air and brought it smashing down across the man's shoulder. He roared in pain, and tackled Jack right over the campfire. Close by, Cliff and the American traded brutal blows, neither giving an inch. Karen had unsheathed her knife and slashed it viciously at Sayid, who took several glancing cuts as he evaded. Jack kneed the German in the stomach, grappled on to both his arms and rolled backwards, coming down heavily on the scarred man's chest, then smashed a fist right between where his ribs formed to make his sternum. A deep, pained breath suggested he wouldn't be lasting much longer, so Jack threw him into a tree and picked up a sturdy end of the pole he'd broken before. As the German charged him one last time, he received the stick to his left temple baseball-bat style, and sunk to the ground, making strange noises. Jack wasn't sure if he'd killed him or not. Cliff and his opponent were grunting as they locked arms and rolled around on the ground. Cliff managed to get under the American, and tossed him upwards, landing in the campfire. He screamed, and pulled himself out, rubbing all over the grass to put out the flames. When he finally regained his senses and turned to face his enemy, Cliff's foot was only inches from his face.

Sayid had taken the upper hand against Karen, but she fought with everything she has. He wrenched the knife out of her, hands, but dropped it as the girl pounded him in the kidneys with her fists. The other two men had beaten his comrades; soon they'd be coming to finish him off. With a yell he tossed the girl into the canopy they'd set up, and dashed to the desk where his laptop was. The man's deep olive complexion was glossed over by sweat. He picked up a small caliber pistol, weak but enough to get the job done. Sayid turned and fired two shots, causing Jack and Cliff to drop to the ground out of sight. The Middle Easterner then ran off through the woods. Towards the village.

Towards Kai.

* * *

Dark here. Another night, another chapter. And an even bigger cliff-hanger? How can 'dis be? Will Sayid reach Kai? What about Elli? And what is this key? Find out next time, in No Looking Back, Chapter 8: Shot Through the Heart! 


	8. Shot Through the Heart

Sayid's heartbeat pounded against the inside of his chest at the same speed that his boots stomped against the ground. He could not see where he was going, but he had a vague idea of where the village was. He'd been hired to do a job. And he damn well meant to complete it. His pursuers were not far behind, yelling commands at each other in hopes they'd catch him before he made it out of the woods. Finally, the faint glow of civilization entered Sayid's eyes. He felt the forest leave him behind as his vision cleared of brush and trees. He could feel his muscles aching, only adrenaline keeping him as alert as he was. Now they too had left the forest. But perhaps if he could make it to the village before they caught up with him, he could hide. The eternally open gates came closer and closer. He was only a dark blur passing through them. Next he dashed for a white stone building, the door of which was locked. Cursing his luck, he began to look for another place to hide. But the others were coming nearer by the second. He swallowed hard and kicked the door in with the last bit of his strength. It folded back with a loud clatter, and he dashed in.

Jack and the others finally made it to the town. It was deserted, all residents asleep or hiding out of fear. He'd heard a loud noise, like a door opening and closing, but he wasn't sure where it came from. He motioned to Cliff and Karen to split up, and then removed the rifle on his back from its straps. The night was warm, and humid. Gleaming sweat droplets shone in the moonlight, along with the reflective scope of the rifle. He crouched low and stalked along the stone path, eyes darting from one shadow to the next. A muffled cry from a building ahead of him caught his attention.

Inside the clinic, Elli's eyes were the size of dinner plates. She looked upwards at the face of an Arab who'd broken in seconds before. He had one hand positioned over her mouth and another gripping a pistol that he now pointed at her head with. "Do not move. Do not speak. Do not make a sound." She managed the meekest nod possible. "Go and sit by that door. If you attempt to escape, I will kill you." Elli didn't need to be told twice. Sayid looked nervously around the room, searching for some way to get out other than the front door. His eyes stopped when he say the man laying in the bed. _'No, it's not possible…is it…is it Kai!'_ His assumption was correct. Kai was in the hospital bed, in a deep sleep. Sayid shook him, but the man's head simply lolled forward. Someone who knew what he was doing, apparently, had put him in the hospital. But since then, he'd been taken care of. Sayid shook his head angrily and did a quick search for Kai's clothing. "You there," he whispered to Elli, "where is this man's clothing?" She motioned towards the farthest bed where his garb was neatly folded. Sayid tore through the folded clothes, finally watching as something fell to the ground. He bent over and picked it up. It was what looked like a card. The man had to stifle laughter, partially at the irony of the situation and partially at the changing of his own luck. But before he could think for too long, the door slammed open.

* * *

Even Jack was shocked to see Sayid standing over Kai's bed. The rifle lowered, just for a moment, then snapped back up and fired. As the bullet left the barrel, Sayid tumbled out of the way and gripped Elli by the neck once more. Jack froze. "Step back, farmer. I will shoot her." Neither moved. "Do you hear me! Set down your weapon!"

Jack began to speak, but Sayid yelled in frustration as he aimed and fired a shot from his gun. Jack rolled under Elli's desk and did not move. Sayid was not sure if he'd hit Jack, but did not wait to find out. He grabbed Elli by her wrist and pulled her out of the clinic, slamming into Karen on the way through the door. He continued running, yells chasing him. He had the key; he'd completed his mission. Now he just had to escape. His muscular legs carried them as fast as they possibly could. Memories came now, with the lucidness that accompanied his near passed-out state. "Just a little bit further…"

_The desert spread for miles. Even past where the eye could see, there laid sand and sky, caressing one another for the infinite horizon. Sayid sat atop a humvee, admiring the day the best he could. A few more hours and he'd be in a plane. A few more days and he'd be in the West, away from the strife and toil…_

The two only made it farther away, much to Cliff's dismay. Elli was in a state of shock; she could hardly fight back against this man that had taken her at gunpoint. Karen and Jack came from the clinic, Jack raising his rifle to fire. But he could not. Elli was far too close. A little more hesitation and they'd be gone. Cliff almost felt something snap in his mind as he watched the man run off with Elli. Memories returned to him as well, fragmented; broken. "Give me the gun, Jack." He took it without waiting, and shouldered it, aiming with one eye closed.

_Sayid watched the airport grow in size. And as he saw a plane soar through the sky, he thought of the birds he watched back home. He was a warrior, but no matter where he was, he could watch the birds and wish that he could grow wings and fly away from it all. But now he could. Now it was in his reach. But could he escape his responsibilities by simply taking flight?_

Cool air rushed into Cliff's lungs. He felt his teeth clamp down on each other, watching the sight hover between the Arab and Elli. One miss was all it took. One hit was all he needed.

_He had received the call only yesterday. His brother had been killed in a car bombing. And now his mother and father, too old to support themselves without the aid of their children, needed his help. He could not return, not now. But he could help them. He could take up arms once more. He had no choice._

Cliff tensed. This was it. He yelled involuntarily as the trigger released. Sayid sprinted at full speed. Karen nearly had an anxiety attack and Jack dared not move. Sayid heard a loud noise and felt pain like he'd never been through before. He continued running, somehow, letting his hostage go free. Another shot came.

_He flew, like a bird!_

* * *

to be continued 


	9. Rising Force

Elli was almost too afraid to move. She heard a bang, and felt the man in front of her jerk forward convulsively. He'd forgotten about her at that point. Yet he continued to run, and as he passed her by she could see the bloody hole near his spine. Her stomach turned inside out. '_He kept going…' _she thought. '_Why did he keep going?' _Sayid roared as the second bullet caught him six inches away from the original. It was too much for his body to handle, and he felt his senses fail as he extended his arms and soared through the air. The dirt path tore pieces of skin off, leaving scrapes the man would never notice. He lay there for a moment, shuddering only a little. And then he rolled over, eliciting a yelp from the nurse. She did not know why, but something inside her ached at the sight of this pitiful man. He, with much difficulty, raised his head and gazed into her eyes. She simply returned the look. Neither spoke for some time, the only sound being Sayid's pained breathing. Then, as if he'd gained the courage to talk one last time, the man addressed her.

"Do not… think of me as… evil."

He coughed up blood.

"I do as I do because I have no other choice. Not out of… out of enmity."

She had been crying this whole time, out of fear and helplessness, but now her tears came from sorrow.

"It is because of my weakness. Because I am unable to gain what I need myself, I must… must take it."

She had leaned over now, sobbing into the ground. Dust and tears mixed to form singular pools of muddy water.

"These men, the ones who have killed me, they are good people, yes?"

He waited for a moment, and then continued over the weeping of his former hostage.

"Help them. People like them; people that have the power to change things, to fight… are rare. And those that…use their gift for good… well, they seem to not exist sometimes."

Sayid was fading fast.

"How strange the world seems…" he said, taking his last breath.

"In retrospect…"

* * *

Karen cradled Elli in her arms. It was too much for the girl, seeing all this death. She'd been crying immensely, but all that remained in her eyes was a moist glaze. The two men stood over Sayid's body, deep in thought. Though they attempted to remain impartial to what had happened, pieces of their sadness crept through. A man had died here. 

"No use in feeling bad over it." Said Cliff. "He was evil, we know that much. Guy like him would've killed his own mother for the right price."

Elli's lips seemed to form the word 'no', but she could not speak.

Jack shook his head. "Whatever the case, we need to get back to town and explain to Mayor Thomas what happened. And try to figure out why these guys were after you and Karen."

"The other two?"

"If they aren't awake by now, it's because we killed them," stated Jack, a wavering uncertainty in his voice. "And if they have woken up they're long gone. I doubt we'll see them again soon."

"Yeah."

Jack motioned to Karen, and the two carried Elli back towards the town.

Cliff did not follow. He simply gazed at the night sky, focusing on some object he could not see.

_"Tonight, I killed a man. And what worries me…_

…_is that it isn't the first time."_

* * *

Many miles away, two men sped to two different buildings. They possessed stark differences. One man was dressed in camo pants and a tank top, the other in a fine suit. One building was a motel, the other a skyscraper. But both had the same sense of anxiety and urgency. 

The former barreled through the motel door, and passed the reception desk into the room clearly marked 'Private'. Inside a thinly bearded man sat focusing on papers on his desk. Creases across his forehead and face denoted age, and yet inside him shown an inner strength and youthfulness the belied his true years. He casually glanced up to the man who'd entered. "Baine! Good news!" The man smiled as his messenger went into a detailed account of all that had happened. He looked out the window, across the city, to a large building towering in the air.

In the top floor of that building, another man surveyed the city. This entity did not generate the inner strength that his opposite did. No, his was apparent. It was apparent in his expensive suit, apparent in his matte-black hair and coiled stance that swore he was prepared for his executioner at any given moment. He looked upon the city in quiet disgust, as if he were a deity staring down from the heavens. The suited messenger almost collided with the double doors that separated the office from the rest of the complex.

"Mr… Mr. Darkholme…" panted the messenger. "You won't believe what happened."

The man named Darkholme's gaze turned from a vague distaste to a thin, cynical smile. "Close the door behind you."

The doors slammed shut, blocking out the conversation that followed.

* * *

The same sun that illuminated the city so far away also warmed the peninsula on which Flowerbud Village was located. It broke through the clouds and mingled in the trees, bathing the world in golden light. Wind from the skies followed, blowing through the canopy and breaching the city. The wind climbed Luna Mountain, and swept through the water of the lake below. The hot summer had faded into a warm autumn, which now died down into the throes of winter. Ice had not yet come, but the days grew short and the weather cold. The farm just outside Flowerbud had prospered, and now housed a small glass structure for crops grown during the winter season. 

Inside that diminutive building, four young adults worked carefully, packing seeds into small containers, sprinkling water over tiny sprouts and cultivating even the smallest sign of life. One of them, a pretty girl with a delicate, freckled face and red hair tied back into a long braid, watched the man across from her closely. He was handsome, the lean, rough, dangerous type of handsome she'd been warned about time and again. And yet she did not remember the fear that was instilled in her. This man was a friend, she knew for a fact. His stony, calculating eyes were used for watching sunsets, and winking at girls. His hands- calloused and tough, the hands of a fighter, were put to work growing and refining life.

She then turned her gaze to the two others in the greenhouse. They were like yin and yang, or perhaps more yang and yang. They looked similar, both with young, striking faces, and the same dusty brown hair that ended in blonde bangs. The resemblance didn't end there. The two twins, as she liked to call them, were headstrong, overly curious and at times, juvenile to the extreme. And yet their good qualities, the ones that truly made them were shared just as much. Both were clever, and witty. Both shared the same sense of wry compassion that came off as indifference, but upon close inspection was deliberate kindness. They were squabbling over something unimportant, now.

"Cliff, no, no, no! You have to put the seed like… damn it, are you listening!"

The redhead grinned. _'Another peaceful day in Flowerbud Village.'_

* * *

Later in the day, they took a while to rest and eat. Ann and Cliff had run off somewhere like they did every day. It didn't bother Jack. 

The man had grown since coming to Flowerbud. He no longer compulsively looked over his shoulder, wore a smile instead of a dark glower. And what's more, he felt more in tune with nature than ever. Maybe it really did run in his family.

He turned to his side, examining the girl who sat, yawning, beside him. She still mesmerized him when he stopped to look. Maybe it was her face, maybe it was the air surrounding her, but she seemed like an angel. She was not a 'good girl', far from it. Jack knew her to be wild. It might have been her eyes, those beautiful ovals, like emerald inlaid in ivory. But whatever it was, it drew him in.

"Eyes are up here, Jack." She had assumed wrong, guessing his stare was directed at her chest. But the suggestion made him do it, taking a quick glance below her neck, and then quickly back to her eyes as she gave him a skeptical look. "One track mind, huh?"

He huffed. "Not… not fair, Karen!" She stood, stifling laughter. "Boys. Ha."

Jack watched her go, trying not to think of dirty thoughts. And then she was gone, disappeared into the greenhouse. Jack was left smiling on the inside.

"Women," was all he could think of to say.

* * *

Dark here. Been a while, huh? Well, only about 5 days. But that's a while. Extra good chapter for you today. Top quality. Fried rice and all that stuff. Thanks to all the reviewers. Next chapter, who's Baine, and this Darkholme guy? And whatever happened to the bandits? 


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